Switch cosntrol



March 6, 1962 P. c. JOHNSON SWITCH CONTROL Filed Sept. 11, 1959 UnitedStates Patent 3,024,339 SWITCH CONTRCBL Paul Christian Johnson, Rte. 3,S. 36th St., South Omaha, Nebr. Filed Sept. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 839,470 1Claim. (Cl. 200-172) This invention relates to a switch control, andmore particularly to a control means for an electric switch.

The object of the invention is to provide a switch control wherein aswitch Such as an off and on switch can be readily operated orcontrolled from a remote location.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch control which isconstructed so that a movable switch member can be actuated from aremote location, as for example such a switch member can be actuated ormoved by a person in a different room or area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch control whichis extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout thesame.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away and in sectionsillustrating the switch control of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the switch control per se.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view showing a modified arrangement.

FIGURE 4 is a view taken at right angles to the view shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view of another modification.

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view of a further modification.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating anothermodification.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES 1and 2 of the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a portion of a wallmember such as a wall member in a home, building or the like, andextended through the wall member 10 is a rod 11, which is rotatablysupported in the wall member. The numeral 12 indicates an escutcheonwhich has the rod 11 extending therethrough, and the escutcheon orbearing 12 is adapted to be fastened in place to one surface of the wall10 as at 13. The numeral 14 indicates a manually operable knob or handlewhich is mounted on the end of the rod 11 as at 15 and wherein thenumeral 15 indicates a set screw or securing element.

The numeral 16 indicates a conventional switch housing which is suitablymounted in the wall member in the usual manner, and a plate 17 isarranged contiguous to the housing 16, the plate 17 being secured inplace by means of screws 18. The numeral 19 indicates the usual movableswitch which is mounted for movement through an opening in the plate 17,so as to turn on or off lights or other electrical appliances.

The rod 11 extends through a bearing 20 which is continguous to theplate 17, and mounted on the end of the rod 11 is a movable lever 21.The lever 21 serves to.actuate or engage a movable switch 19 as the rod11 is rotated by means of the knob 14, so that the switch 19 can bemoved to an on or off position as desired.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawings, there is illustrated amodification wherein a support 22 is suitably fastened to an end of therod 11,

l as pressure is applied thereto.

r 3,024,339 Patented Mar. 6, 1962 f3 15: and the numeral 23 indicates alever which is in the form of an open rectangular bracket that has ahollow interior as indicated by the numeral 24. The lever 23 is adaptedto receive therein the projecting end of the movable switch 19 so thatas the rod 11 is rotated, the lever 23 will move the switch 19 to an offor on position The lever 23 includes spaced parallel side portions 25 aswell as end portions 26 and 27, and the end portion 27 is pivotallymounted to the support 22. This pivotal arrangement permits the lever 23to be swung from the solid to the broken line position of FIGURE 4 asfor example when it is desired to manually actuate th switch 19 withoutthe use of the lever and rod.

Referring now to FIGURE 5 of the drawings, there is illustrated afurther modification wherein the plate 28 is of the type which has anoutlet 29 as well as one or more switch members 30 adjacent thereto. InFIG- URE 5 the actuating lever 31 for moving a switch such as switch 30is mounted on the rod such as the rod 11, and the lever 31 is adapted tobe arranged adjacent one end of the plate 28, as for example it is shownarranged adjacent to the upper end of the plate instead of beingarranged adjacent to the side edge as illustrated previously.

In FIGURES 6 and 7 there is illustrated a further I modification whereinthe numeral 32 indicates a switch plate which is provided with a pushbutton type of on and oil switch 33 that includes a rounded or raisedsurface, FIGURE 7. The switch 33 is of the type which serves to turnelectric appliances or fixtures on or oif In FIGURES 6 and 7 the numeral34 indicates a lever which is mounted on a rod such as the rod 11, andthe lever 34 carries a cam such as the cam 35 which engages the pushbutton switch 33 as the rod 11 is rotated from a remote location.

Referring now to FIGURE 8 of the drawings, there is illustrated amodified rod 35 which is adapted to be used in lieu of or instead of therod 11, and the rod 36 includes a main straight portion 37 as well as adownturned end portion 38. The numeral 39 indicates a lever which isadapted to be made of metal stock, and the lever 39 includes spacedapart side portions 40 as well as a back portion 41 and tabs 42 whichare adapted to be bent or folded around the portion 38 of the rod 36 inorder to fasten the lever 39 to the rod 36. The hollow interior of thelever 39 provides a space for receiving a switch such as the switch 19so that as the rod 36 is rotated by means of a knob such as knob 14, theswitch such as the switch 19 can be turned or moved as desired.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a switchcontrol mechanism which is especially suitable for use in controlling amovable switch from a remote location. In the arrangement of FIGURES 1and 2, it will be seen that the rod 11 is adapted to extend through awall member 10 which may be a wall in a home, or other building and withthe switch housing 16 contiguous to one side of the wall and with theknob 14 adjacent to the other side of the wall, it will be seen that bymanually moving the knob 14, the lever 21 will engage the movable switch19 and position the switch 19 at the desired on or off setting orposition. Thus, the switch 19 can be operated or actuated from a remotelocation without he necessity of actually manually gripping or engagingthe switch 19.

In FIGURES 3 and 4 the rod 11 is adapted to be actuated by a knob suchas the knob 14, from a remote location and with the support 22 fastenedto the rod 11, and with the lever 23 carried by the support 22, it willbe seen that manual rotation of the rod 11 will cause the lever 23 tomove the switch 19 to the desired position.

The lever may be arranged adjacent to the upper end of the plate asindicated by the numeral 31 in FIGURE or else it may be positioned offto one side as desired. The arrangement in FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrates ameans for actuating a push button type of switch 33 wherein the cam 35carried by the lever 34 will actuate the push button switch 33 as thelever 34 is moved by the rod 11. In FIGURE 8, there is illustrated amethod of fabricating or mounting the lever 39 on the rod 36 and thetabs 42 are adapted to be bent over so as to retain the lever 39 on therod.

The parts can be made of any suitable mtaerial and in different shapesor sizes.

The instant invention thus provides a mechanical device for operating anelectric light switch from outside areas of a house or building by amanual means. The present invention is adapted to be used with aconventional light switch and manual power is applied to the knob 14 andthis manual power is transmitted by means of a rod such as rod 11. Theinside bearing mount 20 may be made of thin metal which is bentangularly to give it suificient strength and the mount is provided withopenings so that the same can be fastened on the electric box. Thedevice is easy to install and for example it can be used to turn onporch and yard lights from outside of the house and it eliminates use ofexpensive waterproof three-way switches as well as additional wiring andother installation work which is normally required. The rod may be madelong enough so that it can be cut to the desired length so that it willfit walls of different thicknesses. In addition to providing a means foroperating outside switches, the device can also be used on inside wallssuch as from one room to another as desired. The lever 31 of FIG- URE 5can either be placed at the top or bottom of the plate 28. The bearingmount 20 is adapted to be fastened on the bolt holes of the electricbox.

What is claimed is:

In a device of the character described, a wall member, a rod extendingthrough said wall member, an eseutcheon fastened to one surface of thesaid wall member and having said rod extended therethrough, a knobmounted on an end of said rod and arranged contiguous to saidescutcheon, a securing element extending through said knob and engagingsaid rod, a housing contiguous to the other end of the rod, a plateadjacent to the housing and said plate having said rod extendingtherethrough, a bearing for said rod arranged contiguous to said plate,a movable switch contiguous to said plate, a lever mounted on an end ofthe rod for actuating the switch, said lever comprising a support memberof rectangular formation rigidly secured to said rod with the axis ofsaid support member extending at right angles to the axis of said rodand a rectangular shaped bracket having a hollow interior and includingspaced parallel side portions and spaced parallel end portions, with oneof said end portions being pivotally connected to said support memberwhereby said bracket may be selectively moved into and out of engagementwith said switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,872,380 Woods Aug. 16, 1932 2,068,408 Greulach Jan. 19, 1937 2,582,379Goldberg Jan. 15, 1952 2,604,583 Torre July 22, 1952 2,639,356 SavageMay 19, 1953 2,878,348 Haydon et al. Mar. 17, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS456,147 Canada Apr. 26, 1949

